Long pending post. My key takeaway from Eckhart Tolle's New Earth are listed here for your consumption/consideration. Happiness and peace of mind comes with the adoption of three principles/attitudes in life.....and maybe more so when one comes across situations completely outside of one's control. (Examples have been suggested by me....and are not from the book)
- Non Attachment (Reaction to any situation translates to "This too will pass!" e.g: Death? )
- Non Resistance (Reaction to any event translates to "Is that so?" e.g: Stock Market crashes?)
- Non Judgement (Reaction to any judgemental comments translates to "Maybe!" e.g: Gossip?)
Afterthought: It's obviously useful to be emotionally detached and yet contribute in whatever way one can.....it's highly sensible to not get judgemental about people or things and lead life in a simple and joyous manner......and, finally, it's quite reasonable to not resist global movements outside of one's control but important to take action to resolve challenges at the micro level! Eh?
7 comments:
good one..first one is very much true!!!
good one ... got me thinking :)
I like virtues which have a "yet" part "obviously useful to be emotionally detached and yet contribute in whatever way one can"
:):)
hey....pratap and JF....good to know you folks found this post interesting... :) you could try reading Tolle's book if you want to think longer and harder about these things.... ;-)
JF...ya, isn't it interesting when we try to balance two seemingly opposite things...which is where the 'yet' comes in...and when you take it a little further down you find yourself in the area of paradoxes...which is one of my favourite topics...! :)
The above said principles :
Non Attachment ,Non Resistance,Non Judgement may lead one to a parodoxical situation.
The above principles will show a person as a detached away from the world. Frankly, its the best way to live life, (epitomised in Howard Rowark and John Galt by Ayn Rand, i admire them), though people might scorn you for showing those characteristics.
Is my thinking correct ?
Prashant, Even I've time and again been intrigued by the thought that non-attachment would make a person seem heartless. I've thought it over millions of times without any clear answers and sometimes further confusion. Interesting that you should speak of Howard Roark....because in a way I believe he proves to be a perfect example of what our answer could be. It is the same thing that the Bhagavad Gita advocates. Non-attachment here basically means non-attachment to the results....only the results. You still stay 'attached' to your work....to even people....but you don't worry about what happens outside of your control....you don't crave for credit and outcomes to promote yourself....you just love what you do....but for its own sake....not for yourself - your ego! So, you may not actually seem like a heartless person but indeed like a very mature and wise person who knows how to handle life! Does this make sense or am I shooting in the dark?
Some did find its mark, 2 things got missed.:)
First, about the attachment, i do mean attachment to your effort and not in the result. Results can be either way, yet as long as you have done your best, you needn't bother about anything else.
Secondly,about the heartless person as viewed by the commons, yet wise and mature, it sometimes sets me thinking as to is it really worth it..? People talking praises of you, once you leave the world. Take the case of Galileo, Socrates... I know its a pessimistic stance, yet for clarifying how many of us are living for ourself and how many for others...
Is it worth it?....well, it will not be a problem if we can still show people we care for them!! we need not be as aloof as Howard!! we do things his way but we also show people we care and help them understand why we are the way we are!!! is it not possible? maybe it very much is!! :)
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